


The Road to My Heart is Paved with Paw Prints

by stjarna



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dogs, F/M, Fitzsimmons focus, Fluff, Last part of last chapter mild T rating, Pipsy for good measure, animal adoption, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-03-22 14:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13766091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stjarna/pseuds/stjarna
Summary: Jemma Simmons is finally ready to adopt a dog, but maybe it's not just paw prints that find their way into her heart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Should I be starting another multi-chap when I still have a Quakerider fic and another Fitzsimmons fic in progress? Probably not. But here we are.
> 
> Big thank you to @dilkirani for the beta and for @lilsciencequeen for giving it a pre-read.

 

Jemma rang the doorbell of _Shelter from the Storm_. She had done extensive research, and this animal shelter had stood out to her on various levels, from most informative website to most thorough adoption process; it had easily beaten other shelters in her area. The door buzzed and Jemma pushed it open. She smiled through the window of the second door at the dark-haired young woman behind the counter. Double-doors, another safety feature, prevented animals from accidentally sneaking out the front door. The second door buzzed, and Jemma gripped the handle of her purse more tightly as she entered the main area.

“Hey, how can I help you?” the young woman said cheerily.

Jemma pressed her lips into an excited and determined smile as she stepped up to the counter. She opened her purse, pulling out her adoption prep folder. She placed it on the counter, pressing both palms against the aquamarine cardboard (‘ _a is for aquamarine is for adoption_ ’). “I would like to adopt a dog,” she told the shelter employee, unable to stop her lips from pulling even wider.

“Okay, cool, the way it works—” the young woman started, when Jemma raised her index finger importantly.

“I already filled in the application.” She opened her folder, pulling out the form she’d downloaded from the shelter’s website and handing it to the employee, who looked at her wide-eyed, a hint of an amused grin playing on her lips that Jemma paid little heed.

“I know you will need to check my—” Jemma continued, when a male voice interrupted her.

“Daisy?” A young man with slightly unruly curls poked his head out of what Jemma assumed was an office.

“Sorry ‘bout that.” The woman across from Jemma smiled apologetically, before turning around to look at her colleague. “Yeah?”

“Officer Piper just called,” the young man explained, and Jemma was surprised to notice a thick Scottish brogue. “The police got a call about a stray in bad shape. They want some help catching it.” He grinned widely, wiggling his eyebrows. “I assume you want to go.”

“Yes,” Daisy exclaimed, excitedly. She glanced briefly at Jemma, before her eyes darted back at her coworker, gesturing over her shoulder with her thumb towards Jemma. “Could you?”

He nodded, stepping out of the office and towards the counter. “Sure.”

Daisy grabbed her coworker’s shoulders, her lips pulled ear to ear. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

The man chuckled, watching Daisy rush towards one of the backrooms, before giving Jemma his attention. He stepped up to the counter, tapping the surface with his fingertips. “Hi. I’m Fitz, how can I help you?”

“Well,” Jemma smiled at him widely, pointing down the hallway that Daisy had disappeared to, “as I began explaining to your colleague, I’m hoping to adopt a dog.” She placed her finger on the application form Daisy had left on the counter. “I already filled in the application form, which I downloaded from your website, which—if I may say so—is far easier to navigate than most other shelters’ sites… so kudos for that.”

One corner of Fitz’s mouth ticked up in amusement. “Okay.”

Jemma raised one hand importantly. “Now, I know it can take up to two weeks for the application to be processed and that you will need to check my references. That’s of course perfectly fine, and I already informed my referees that they should be expecting a call from you and—”

A loud buzz made Jemma stop mid-sentence. Fitz looked past her, smiling and lifting his chin in a greeting of sorts. Jemma turned her head, noticing a police officer grinning widely through the glass window.

“One second,” Fitz remarked, pressing the button to let in the officer. “Officer Piper,” he welcomed the woman in uniform.

“Hey, Fitz.” Officer Piper wrapped her fingers around her belt, pulling her trousers up and rocking back and forth on her feet. “So, are _you_ coming or Dai—”

“How do I look? How do I look? How do I—?” Daisy stopped dead in her tracks, falling silent and staring wide-eyed at the police officer. A blush crept up her cheeks and her lips pulled into a smile. “Hey, Piper.”

Officer Piper cleared her throat, raising two fingers to her hat in an awkward salute. “Hey, Daisy.”

Jemma’s eyes fell on Fitz, whose lips were pressed into a thin line in an attempt not to laugh, his gaze wandering between his colleague and the officer. Jemma couldn’t help but smile in amusement as well.

“You look good, Daisy,” Fitz suddenly announced, bobbing his head to place more emphasis on his statement. “Like someone ready to fetch a stray dog in distress with absolutely no other hidden agenda whatsoever.”

Daisy glared at Fitz in discontent. She walked up to where he was standing at the counter, bending slightly forward to grab a set of keys. She leaned closer to Fitz as she straightened up, muttering a quiet “Shut up already.”

Fitz turned his head, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Ask her out already,” he whispered back, likely not loud enough for the officer to hear, but loud enough for Jemma’s ears to pick up.

Daisy exhaled sharply. She shifted her focus to Officer Piper, who had been watching the interaction with seemingly shy but attentive interest. “You lead the way. I’ll take our mobile unit,” Daisy announced.

Officer Piper nodded once in agreement. “Sounds good.”

Jemma watched the two women leave, before looking back at the other shelter employee.

Fitz chuckled quietly. “Sorry ‘bout that.” He lifted his chin in the direction of the door through which Daisy and Officer Piper had disappeared. “It’s been going on for awhile.”

Jemma did a double-take, taking a final look at the main entrance before bringing her attention back to Fitz. She gave him a knowing smirk. “They seem rather smitten with each other.”

Fitz bobbed his head in confirmation. “Yep. It’s the ‘making a move’ thing that’s taking them forever. Daisy’s last relationship didn’t end too well, so she’s been kinda reserved, and Piper’s been adorably shy and—” He paused, staring at Jemma with a deer-in-the-headlights look. “Why am I telling you all this?”

Jemma chuckled, raising her shoulders. “I’m not sure. I mean I don’t mind, but I’m not sure.”

His gaze wandered to the counter as he scratched the nape of his neck in embarrassment. He inhaled deeply, before tapping Jemma’s application form with two fingers. “How ‘bout we return to this?”

Jemma scrunched her nose. “Yes.”

“So,” Fitz gestured at her, palm-up. “Why do you want a dog?”

Jemma sighed happily, pressing her palm against her chest. “I grew up with dogs. My parents live outside Sheffield and we’ve always had dogs. It’s one of the things I miss most about home. But my old apartment building didn’t allow pets, so it just wasn’t possible. But—” She raised her index finger importantly, “I recently got a promotion and a raise to go with it—which I know sounds like I’m bragging, but it means that I was able to look for a new and slightly bigger flat which—”

“—allows dogs,” Fitz finished her sentence, a smile playing on his lips.

Jemma nodded in confirmation. “Precisely.”

Fitz pursed his lips, picking up Jemma’s application form and letting the bottom of the paper stack fall back onto the counter to align the edges, before laying everything back down. “Well, you got the application filled in, and like you said, it can take up to two weeks to process, although usually you’ll hear from us within a week or so.”

“Excellent.” Jemma’s lips pulled into a wide smile. “Now, I’m mentioning all of this in my application, but while I do not have a preference regarding the dog’s sex, breed, or color, my new apartment building does have a 40 pound weight limit for dogs.”

“Good to know. Shouldn’t be a problem. We have plenty of smaller dogs.” Fitz gestured over his shoulder with his thumb, furrowing his brow slightly. “Now, you’re welcome to take a look at the dogs today, but there’s no guarantee they will still be available when your application is through.”

Jemma raised both hands in a halting gesture. “I think I’ll wait. Wouldn’t want to fall in love and then have my heart broken in two weeks.” She opened the folder in front of her, pulling out another sheet of paper and swiveling it around so Fitz could read it. “Now, I already did some research into veterinary clinics in my area, and these are my top 5. I assume you have experience with at least some of these, so I would greatly appreciate your input.”

Fitz picked up the paper and read over Jemma’s list, before looking back at her. “You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but we work very closely with Doctor Morse.” He pointed at the top name on the list. “She’s great.”

Jemma grabbed the list back from him, unable to hide a satisfied smile. “My top choice,” she remarked as she placed the sheet back into the folder and pulled out another list. She closed the folder, laying the paper on top of it and covering it with both hands, looking straight at Fitz. “I work at a lab, which means that unfortunately taking the dog to work is not an option.” She raised one finger importantly. “Now, I’ve accumulated quite some vacation time, and I intend to take two weeks off once I’ve adopted the dog to stay home with it and help it acclimate.”

Fitz’s eyes widened. “That sounds fantastic.”

“And—” Jemma swiveled the sheet of paper around so Fitz could read it, “I also looked into dog walking services in my neighborhood.”

Fitz lifted one corner of the paper, glancing at the list before looking back at Jemma, his eyebrows raised. “You’ve done a lot of research.”

The corners of Jemma’s mouth quirked up briefly. “I excel at preparation.”

Fitz smiled back at her, staring at her in silence before clearing his throat and looking back at the list. “Monkey Dog Walkers?” he remarked dryly, furrowing his brow.

Jemma leaned slightly forward, reading her own list with a sudden sense of alarm. “Yes. They’re my top choice actually.” Her eyes caught Fitz’s, who was looking at her with an unreadable expression.

“I mean the name is maybe a bit unusual,” Jemma blurted out, nervousness speeding up her words. “But their website was very informative, their schedule seems flexible, and I found a few very good reviews. Have you heard anything negative about them?”

A puff of air escaped Fitz’s nostrils and his eyes lit up as a smile spread across his face. “I hope not.” He gestured at the company’s name on the list. “That’s—umm—that’s me.”

“You?” Jemma asked surprised.

Fitz nodded in confirmation. “Yes, me and Daisy actually. It’s our little side-business. We… we run a tech support service together. That’s our main thing. She does primarily software; I do mainly hardware. We’ve known each other since uni, been roommates since our third year.” He shrugged. “I think at some point we kind of just adopted each other. But—” He ticked his head to one side, “our flat doesn’t allow pets, so—”

“—you started a dog walking service,” Jemma finished, unable to keep from smiling.

Fitz bobbed his head. “Yes, and started volunteering here. We do most of the tech support from home, so our schedule is fairly flexible.” He put the sheet of paper he was still holding back on the counter and pushed it towards Jemma. “Now, not to toot my own horn, but we’re good and would gladly assist you with your dog walking needs.”

He smiled and something about the way his piercing blue eyes held her gaze sent a wave of contended warmth through Jemma’s body.

“Otherwise,” he continued, tapping the paper with his fingers, “Wanda’s Wondrous Walkers is excellent, obnoxious alliteration aside.”

Jemma laughed, taking the list back and placing it into her folder. She cleared her throat. “Well, then. I’ll be sure to keep Monkey Dog Walkers in mind.”

Fitz tucked his hands in his pockets, bobbing his head. “Glad to hear it.”

Jemma took her folder and put it in her purse, before looking back at Fitz. “Now, is there anything else I need to be doing?”

Fitz shook his head. “Nope. Like I said, probably won’t be more than a week until you hear from us, two weeks tops.”

Jemma’s lips pulled ear to ear. “How very exciting. Very much looking forward to your call. It was lovely meeting you, Fitz.”

A warm and friendly smile spread across Fitz’s face. He pulled one hand out of his pocket and picked up Jemma’s application form. He gave it a quick glance, before looking up at Jemma. “Likewise, Jemma Anne Simmons, PhD.”


	2. Chapter 2

Just like less than two weeks ago, Jemma looked with nervous excitement through the window of the entrance to _Shelter from the Storm_. A smile appeared on Daisy’s face. She turned her head, calling out something that Jemma couldn’t hear through the thick glass. Then the door buzzed, allowing Jemma to enter.

“Hey,” Daisy said in a chipper tone.

“Hello, I received a phone—”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Fitz’s head poked through the office door, giving Jemma a welcoming smile. “Hey, ready to see if we have the right dog for you?”

Jemma couldn’t stop her lips from pulling ear to ear. “Yes.” She clutched the shoulder strap of her purse more tightly. “I’ve been so excited ever since your call yesterday, I could barely sleep.”

“Well then,” Fitz exited the room, gesturing down the hallway. “Let me show you the way.”

Jemma bobbed her head, tensing her muscles before exhaling sharply to release the tension. “How exciting.”

Fitz took the lead, and Jemma quickly followed him, when Daisy’s voice caused them both to stop.

“Hey, Fitz.”

They both turned around, looking at Daisy who waved her phone in Fitz’s direction. “Piper is offering to bring us lunch. The usual for you?”

Fitz’s eyes briefly glanced at Jemma, before looking back at Daisy. He scratched the spot below his ear, before his fingers wrapped around the back of his neck, massaging it gently. “Umm. Yeah. Tell her thanks.”

“Will do.” Daisy lifted her chin in Jemma’s direction. “Happy dog-choosing.”

“Thank you.” Jemma smiled shyly at the other shelter employee, before turning back around and following Fitz to the end of the hallway.

As soon as Fitz opened the heavy door, the barking her ears had picked up in the entrance area grew louder instantaneously. She entered the kennel area right behind Fitz, waiting for the door to fall shut, before grabbing Fitz’s upper arm, stopping his forward movement.

Fitz turned around, looking first at Jemma’s hand on his arm and then at Jemma in a rather adorable state of mild confusion that caused Jemma’s lips to tick into an amused smile. She let go of his arm, clutching her purse instead and leaning closer, keeping her voice low. “Not to pry, but did I just hear your colleague mentioning the police officer from last time I was here?”

Fitz tucked his hands in his pockets, grinning widely. His happy expression was all the confirmation Jemma needed.

She gasped in excitement. “Have there been any new developments?”

Fitz leaned closer, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “They went on a date last Friday and have been nauseatingly in love ever since.”

“Awww.” Jemma slumped her shoulders in relief. “How wonderful. So who was the brave soul who finally made a first move?”

One corner of Fitz’s mouth quirked up, while his gaze wandered to the floor in apparent embarrassment before flickering back up. “That would have been me.”

Jemma laughed out loud, her eyes widening in surprise. “What?”

Fitz gestured over his shoulder towards the front part of the shelter. “They came back from fetching that stray dog and were still tip-toeing around each other, and I don’t know—” He lifted his shoulders to his ears in an apologetic gesture. “I snapped and asked Piper if she wanted to go on a date with Daisy on Friday.”

Jemma pressed one hand against her stomach, as another wave of laughter bubbled to the surface that brought tears of joy to her eyes.

Her reaction seemed to be infectious, as Fitz began chuckling as well, shaking his head and pointing at the door, keeping his eyes fixed on Jemma. “And I swear the only reason why Daisy didn’t kill me on the spot is because Piper blurted out ‘I’d love to’ just as Daisy was lunging at me.”

Jemma slowly recovered from her laughing fit. She drew in a deep breath, exhaling through rounded lips to compose herself and gesturing at Fitz palm-up. “Well, look at you, matchmaker extraordinaire.”

Fitz scoffed in amusement, shrugging slightly. “I don’t think it’s a career path I’ll explore further.”

“What are you talking about?” Jemma looked at him open-mouthed, gesturing down the hallway at the kennels and barking dogs. “You’ve been a matchmaker all along. Matching people and families with the perfect pet.”

Fitz smiled at her one-sidedly, his eyes filled with warmth and appreciation. “I always thought that it’s actually the animal who chooses its family,” he admitted quietly.

Jemma’s expression softened. “That’s such a sweet sentiment.”

Fitz raised his eyebrows, letting out a cleansing breath. “Speaking of which, shall we see if someone here is ready to fall in love with you?”

Jemma scrunched her nose excitedly, her fingers once again wrapping around the shoulder strap of her purse and gripping it tightly. “Yes, absolutely.”

Fitz raised one finger in the air, executing a small circular motion. “Now, I know your only restriction was the 40-pound weight limit, but hearing all the ruckus, do you think you’d prefer someone who’s on the quieter side?”

Jemma chuckled, ticking her head to the side. “I’m sure my neighbors would.”

Fitz’s face lit up in amusement. “Well, how about I start with the ones who seem to be able to use their inside voice?”

“Perfect.”

“Alright, so let me—” Fitz paused, eyeing Jemma up and down for a moment, his brow furrowed. He gestured over his shoulder. “Do you want to store your purse and jacket in the office? Have both hands free for meeting the dogs? Nobody besides shelter staff gets in there, so your things will be perfectly safe.”

“Oh.” Jemma looked at him wide-eyed. “That would be lovely. If you’re sure it’s not a problem.”

Fitz shook his head. “Not at all. We do it all the time.”

He turned around, reaching for the door handle and pulling it open. They returned to the entrance area, Daisy furrowing her brow when she saw them.

“That was quick,” Daisy remarked, confused.

Fitz lifted his chin in the direction of the office. “We’ll store her stuff in the office.”

“Gotcha.” Daisy nodded in understanding. “Two hands pet better than one.”

Jemma smiled over Daisy’s humorous remark, before entering the office while Fitz held the door open.

Jemma looked around the room. Two desks were pushed together; a sofa stood against the wall; another small table held a coffee maker and electric water kettle.

“There are hooks for your jacket, and you can just put your purse on one of the chairs or the sofa,” Fitz’s voice piped up next to her, drawing Jemma’s attention away from the interior.

She looked at where Fitz was gesturing, bobbing her head in acknowledgement and heading straight for the hooks on the wall. She decided that they looked sturdy enough to hold the weight of her purse as well. She slung the shoulder strap around the hook before taking of her jacket, placing it in the same spot.

She turned back around to where Fitz was standing, when her eyes caught sight of a small, black furball, curled up on a dog bed next to one of the desks. The dog lifted its head, big brown eyes looking curiously in Jemma’s direction. Jemma noticed that some of the dog’s fur had been shaved off and its hind leg was bandaged up.

Jemma slumped her shoulders, ticking her head to one side. “Awww. Who’s this?”

Jemma looked sideways when she noticed Fitz stepping next to her. He tucked his hands in his pockets, a smile playing on his lips as he lifted his chin in the direction of the dog.

“That’s the stray Daisy and Piper picked up. She was in bad shape when they found her. Hind leg broken. Fur so matted we had to shave most of it off.”

Jemma pursed her lips in pity. “Oh, poor thing.”

“She’s been recovering well though. We’re giving her some extra TLC and attention. That’s why she’s here. She’s still a bit shy. You can tell she’s been through a lot, but if you ask me, she’s an incredibly sweet pup. Just needs more time.” 

The corners of Jemma’s mouth ticked up. “May I?” she asked quietly, gesturing at the dog.

Fitz nodded, smiling warmly at her. “Yeah, of course.”

He walked to the dog bed, crouching down in front of the small dog, who immediately lifted her head to welcome his petting hand.

Jemma couldn’t stop her lips from pulling into a wide smile at the lovely scene in front of her. She joined Fitz by the dog bed, kneeling down in front of it and carefully stretching out her hand.

The little black head shifted direction, the dog’s big, gentle brown eyes staring directly at Jemma. The little black nose sniffed Jemma’s knuckles, cold wetness touching Jemma’s skin, when first the dog’s nose and then its little pink tongue made excited contact.

Jemma chuckled, petting the dog’s head, before bringing her other hand forward as well, cupping the dog’s face and smiling widely at it. “Don’t you just have the most beautiful eyes.” She looked sideways at Fitz. “What’s her name?”

“Jane Doe.” Fitz looked almost apologetic. “Piper’s idea.”

Jemma scoffed in amusement, scratching Jane Doe’s ear, who leaned her head into Jemma’s touch. “You know, she looks a bit like I’ve always imagined a Pygmy Puff to look like. I mean obviously they’d be pink, and more—well—puffy, but—”

“Pygmy Puff?” Fitz asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Oh.” Jemma scrunched her nose in slight embarrassment. “It’s a Harry Potter reference. Pygmy Puffs are these fluffy, round creatures and—”

“Yeah, no, I know,” Fitz interrupted her. “I just—” He paused, one corner of his mouth ticked up. “When Daisy and Piper brought her in, I said that she looked like a creature Hagrid should take care of.”

Jemma laughed, eyeing Fitz up and down before stretching her hand in Fitz’s direction. “Pottermore Slytherin. Don’t let that scare you. Certain members of our house may have given us a bad reputation but we are a very respectable and honorable community. Plus, I once did a quiz that showed you percentages for the different houses and it was practically a tie between Slytherin and Ravenclaw for me.”

Fitz tried to suppress a chuckle. He shook Jemma’s hand, grinning at her with mischief. “Pottermore Gryffindor, but Gryffinpuff at heart.”

Jemma’s eyes lit up in amusement. “Well, look at the two of us covering all four Hogwarts Houses. So what’s your patr—”

Jemma stopped when a wet dog nose nudged her arm, and a small paw landed on her knee. She looked down, smiling reflexively at the sight of Jane Doe trying to scoot her body onto Jemma’s lap, her injured leg hindering her progress. “Aw, Pygmy Puff, did we not pay you enough attention?” She carefully helped the dog, cradling Jane Doe in her arms and petting her gently. “Can’t have that, can we now?”  


“You know what?” Fitz asked quietly, his voice laced with a tender softness.

Jemma looked at him, questioningly. “Hmm?”

A smile spread across his face, his eyes wandering from Jemma to the dog in her lap and back. “I think you’ve just been chosen by your future pet.”

Jemma’s lips parted in surprise. Her gaze wandered back to the small, black creature in her lap, who was scooting around, trying to find the most comfortable position. She pet the dog’s head, her lips quivering as tears suddenly shot to her eyes. A quiet chuckle escaped her, followed by a sniff as she lifted her head to look back at Fitz. “I think you’re right.”

His eyes were warm when he replied. “Congratulations.”

Jemma scrunched her nose, scratching the dog’s ear, entranced by the happy moment, until a thought crossed her mind. Her head shot up, looking worriedly at Fitz. “But with her injury? Is she even ready to be adopted?”

Fitz pursed his lips, raising his eyebrows, reaching over to pet the dog as well. “Bobbi—I mean, Doctor Morse is stopping by later actually to check on her and some other animals. I’ll check with her; see if she thinks it’s better for—” He paused, glancing at the dog in Jemma’s lap, before grinning happily. “—Pygmy Puff to stay here or if she can finish her recovery at your place.” Fitz shrugged. “I mean you were going to take time off anyways. Plus, even if she has to stay here, we could finalize all formalities and you’d be welcome to visit her until she’s ready to go home with you.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Jemma beamed at Fitz, inhaling deeply, before focusing her attention back on Pygmy, amazed by the fact that things seemed to be falling into place so easily.

“I’ll give you a call as soon as Doctor Morse has been here.”

Jemma sighed in relief, lifting her head to look at Fitz. “Thank you. And then I suppose I have to make arrangements with a certain dog walking service.”

Fitz grinned. “Wanda’s Wonderous Walkers?”

Jemma chuckled, wiggling her eyebrows. “I was thinking something a bit more primate.”

Her remark caused Fitz to laugh out loud. “Well, we’ll greatly appreciate your business.” He paused, reaching over to scratch Pygmy’s head, whose tail began wagging gently in Jemma’s lap. “And I’ll greatly appreciate a chance to stay in touch with this little fluffball.”

A knock on the door frame made Jemma and Fitz turn their heads. Daisy looked into the office, a plastic bag dangling from her index finger. “Your lunch’s here.”

“Oh.” Fitz pushed himself up to standing and walked over to Daisy, taking the bag from her. “Thanks.” He peeked through the open door, lifting the bag a bit higher. “Thank you, Piper.”

Jemma heard a quiet “Don’t sweat it,” from the entrance area.

Fitz turned halfway around, when he stopped in his movement, looking back at Daisy. “Oh, hey, Daisy, can you make a note in Jane Doe’s file that she’s been adopted?”

Daisy’s eyes widened and a smile spread across her face as she took a closer look at where Jemma was still kneeling on the floor with the dog curled up on her lap. “Congrats.”

“Thank you,” Jemma replied quietly.

“Oh,” Fitz raised his index finger importantly, “and also add that her new name will be Pygmy Puff.”

Daisy wrinkled her forehead. “Pygmy-whatnow?”

“Pygmy Puff,” Fitz repeated. “It’s a Harry Potter thing.”

Daisy looked back and forth between Fitz and Jemma, her brow furrowed. She scoffed in amusement. “Nerds.”

“And,” Fitz added, still raising his finger in front of Daisy’s nose, “she’ll hire Monkey Dog Walkers.”

Daisy grinned widely. “Nice. Good choice.”

Jemma chuckled quietly, nodding in agreement. “I think so too.”

Daisy pressed her lips into a thin line, inhaling deeply before gesturing over her shoulder. “Okay. Lunch for me.”

Fitz bobbed his head, briefly lifting his hand, presumably as a greeting to Piper. He closed the door to the office, raising the bag in his hand. “Do you mind if I—?”

“Oh, not at all.”

Fitz placed the bag on the desk and pulled out a sandwich. He sat down, opening the wrapper and bringing the sandwich to his mouth before pausing, extending his hands in Jemma’s direction instead. “Would you like some? Prosciutto-mozzarella.”

Jemma smiled at his sweet offer. “Oh, that sounds lovely, but I ate lunch before I came here. Plus, I’d hate to banish Pygmy-Wiggly here from my lap.”

The corners of his mouth quirked up. “Yeah, that would be cruel.”

Jemma resumed petting Pygmy Puff, when a thought occurred to her. She looked back at Fitz. “Is it okay if I stay a bit longer? I don’t mean to bother you while you’re eating.”

Fitz shook his head. “No bother at all.”

Silence settled in the room, Fitz beginning to eat his lunch while Jemma gave her dog more attention, allowing her thoughts to drift off, planning the next steps in her adoption process. After a few minutes, curiosity got the better of her. “May I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Fitz mumbled with a full mouth.

“Why is it called Monkey Dog Walkers?”

Fitz scoffed in apparent amusement. “The short version is that Daisy drew the shorter straw and I got to name our dog walking service.”

Jemma laughed. “And what’s the long version?”

Fitz shrugged. “I’ve been fascinated with monkeys since I was a boy.”

“Oh, how interesting.” Jemma’s eyes widened in curiosity. “I’d love to hear more.”

Fitz looked at her, a hint of skepticism in his eyes. “Could be awhile.”

Jemma pursed her lips, gesturing at the seemingly sleeping dog on her lap. “I’m in no rush.”

A smile spread across Fitz’s face. He inhaled deeply. “Well then—”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't want to start a Harry Potter Sorting Hat discussion in the comments, because honestly, I think you could probably successfully argue for any house depending on what you focus on and opinions can differ ;) I was sorted into Ravenclaw myself but the other quiz I mention in the fic basically gave me Ravenpuff. I actually firmly had Fitz in Gryffindor and Jemma in Ravenclaw for awhile until I read [Written by Rabbits by MechBull](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11598459) (Which is amazing!), and she sorted Jemma into Slytherin and Fitz into Hufflepuff so convincingly that now I basically can't decide, thus, my decision to make Fitz a Gryffinpuff and Jemma a Slytherclaw, because let's face it, there rarely are clear-cut categories in life ;)
> 
> And, yes, basically Jemma adopted Maggie :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last part a bit of a T rating (you could skip the last part if you're looking for strictly G. I marked it with a double separator instead of a single).

Jemma glanced at her phone when it started vibrating on the workbench. Her lips reflexively ticked into a smile when she read “MDW Fitz” as the sender of the message. She looked back at the report on her computer screen, before deciding that she could allow herself a quick distraction. She picked up her phone and unlocked it to read the message.

“Awww,” she exclaimed when she saw a somewhat blurry picture of an excited Pygmy Puff greeting another dog. She quickly looked around, ensuring that she hadn’t disrupted any of her colleagues with her excited outburst, before reading the message Fitz had written to go with the photo: 

> _That’s Whiskey. She lives down the block. I think Pygmy’s in love._

 Jemma chuckled quietly, before typing a reply.

> _Does Whiskey appear to be an upstanding citizen? I wouldn’t want Pygmy to get involved with someone who has nothing but bad-girl shenanigans in mind ;)_

 

> _Her name is Whiskey. What do you expect? ;)_

Once again, Jemma couldn’t quite manage to suppress a little amused snort.

> _Well, I suppose it’s good that she’s socializing. Losing a bit of her shyness around other dogs._

 

> _Definitely. Every time I take her out she seems better than the last. But of course you know that, dog-owner extraordinaire._

Jemma felt a slight blush creeping up her cheeks at Fitz’s compliment and her stomach tightened at reading his words a second time. They’d only really met one time in person since she’d adopted Pygmy Puff, namely when Fitz and Daisy had come over to finalize their dog walking agreement with her, get a set of keys for Jemma’s apartment, learn about Pygmy’s routines and so forth. But even though they hadn’t seen each other face-to-face since then, they were in almost daily contact.

They texted and called each other to set up Pygmy’s walking schedule, of course. But Fitz also frequently texted during his walks with Pygmy (and he seemed to walk her almost exclusively, Daisy only taking over a handful of times in the two months Monkey Dog Walkers had taken care of Pygmy during Jemma’s work week). Most of the time he’d send photos, often with amusing or adorable captions, but sometimes they’d end up conversing about unrelated things, such as recommending movies, books, and restaurants. One time, when he’d called in the evening to confirm Pygmy’s time for the next day, they had ended up talking for two hours about Doctor Who.

Jemma had to admit, his messages often made her work day and his calls her evenings more enjoyable. She’d contemplated asking him out for dinner, but then again, it seemed maybe just a tad too forward and she certainly did not wish to read too much into his messages. Monkey Dog Walkers had received very good reviews after all, not least for keeping the owners up-to-date on their dogs and doing it in a friendly manner.

Jemma read Fitz’s message one last time, before typing her reply.

> _Well, I think *you* walking her almost every day also has a lot to do with it, dog walker extraordinaire ;)_

She watched the three little dots on the screen, indicating that Fitz was typing a reply, her heart somehow beating a bit quicker than usual.

> _Monkey Dog Walkers always at your service… and your dog’s.  
>  Whiskey had to go. Pygmy was devastated :( … But the treats I gave her sure seemed to help ;)_

 

> _:D She really is very food motivated. I should go back to work. Thanks for the update, Fitz._

 

> _Anytime._

Jemma put the phone back down, sighing deeply. She tried to focus on her report, when her phone buzzed another time. She picked it back up and unlocked it, chuckling when she saw the selfie of Fitz smiling widely and holding Pygmy half in front of his face.

> _Here’s something to get you through the rest of your day._

Jemma couldn’t help but grin, her fingers gliding first over her dog and then over Fitz’s face on the picture, before she caught herself. Nervously, she looked around to see if anyone had noticed her clearly inappropriate behavior.

She exhaled a sharp breath and put her phone down, determined to finish her report without letting her mind wander off to a certain dog walker extraordinaire.

* * *

Fitz stared at the laptop screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard, before entering another command, with much the same disappointing result as before.

“Ugh,” he growled through gritted teeth, clenching his fists and raising them in front of the screen. “What the bloody hell did you do with your computer, you bloody idiot?”

“Need me to take a look?”

Fitz looked up at Daisy, who was snuggling with Piper under a blanket on the couch while they were watching a movie.

“I’ll give it one more try,” Fitz replied. “Remind me never to offer computer checkup freebies to friends again. I swear Hunter must have set up a sign that says ‘Viruses welcome.’”

“Probably tried to download free porn from less than reputable sources,” Piper suggested.

“There are reputable sources for porn?” Fitz asked, before grimacing when he noticed Daisy’s growing grin. He raised his hands in defense. “You know what? Forget I asked. Get back to your movie.”

Both Piper and Daisy laughed, before once again snuggling closer together and focusing back on the TV.

Fitz brought his attention back to Hunter’s laptop, sighing heavily as he lifted his fingers to hover over the keyboard, contemplating his next move.

He slowly lowered his hands, staring in concentration at the screen, when his phone started buzzing and Monkey Dog Walker’s barking ringtone echoed through the living room.

Fitz picked up the call without so much as glancing at the screen. “Monkey Dog Walkers. This is Fitz. How can we help you?” he rattled down his usual greeting.

“She ate chocolate!”

Fitz furrowed his brow. It took him a second to recognize her voice, laced with panic instead of her usual chipper tone.

“Jemma?” he asked, full of concern.

“She ate chocolate, Fitz,” the distraught voice repeated and this time there was no doubt in Fitz’s mind who he was talking to.

He heard her shaky breath, the quiet sobs she tried to suppress.

Fitz jumped out of his chair, pressing his phone closer against his ear. Somewhere he heard Daisy call out his name, but his focus was on the person on the other end of the line. “Okay. Calm down, Jemma,” he blurted out even though he himself felt anything but calm. “Tell me what happened!”

“We were on our walk,” Jemma recounted, her story interrupted by little sniffles. “And there are all these kids out and about trick or treating. And you know how much Pygmy loves children and some of them asked if they could pet her and they were so sweet with her and she was so good with them and then we walked on and she did her business and I bent down to pick it up and I saw there was another pile that someone had just left there and I picked that one up too and when I turned around I saw how some of the children we’d said hi to were feeding Pygmy chocolate. Some sort of dark M&Ms that they didn't like. I mean they didn't know that chocolate is bad for dogs and they felt so bad and I didn't mean to yell at them and—”

“How much did she eat?”

“I’m not sure. A few handfuls at least. I mean small children’s hands, but still—” She paused, another hiccupping breath echoing through the line. “I called Doctor Morse right away and she told me to bring her over. So I rushed home as fast as I could and then my car wouldn't start and I don't have any hydrogen peroxide at home and I don't know what to do and—” Her voice broke off again, shaken by another wave of sobs.

“Okay. Jemma,” Fitz rushed for the door, sticking his foot in one of his sneakers and bending down to put on his shoe while holding his phone between his shoulder and ear. “I'll be right over, okay?”

“Fitz!”

Fitz looked up at the sound of his name being barked quite loudly by Daisy.

She stared at him with wide-open and concerned eyes. “What's going on?”

“Jemma, hold on just one second,” Fitz said into his phone before pressing it flat against his chest, addressing Daisy instead. “Some kids fed Pygmy Puff Halloween candy. Dark chocolate. Jemma’s car broke down. So I'll—”

“Babe.” Daisy elbowed Piper gently and both women got up from the couch.

“I'll drive,” Piper announced, rushing for the door to put on her shoes, with Daisy right behind her.

Fitz couldn't help but smile. He bent down do finish putting his own shoes on with one hand while bringing his phone back up to his ear. “Jemma? Are you still there?”

“Yeah,” Jemma replied, her voice still not losing its tremor.

“Daisy and Piper are coming, too, okay? Piper’ll drive. Leave it up to the police woman to break a few traffic rules to get to you ASAP. I'll stay on the phone with you the whole time, okay? It'll be okay. We’ll be there in ten!” Fitz grabbed his jacket, rushing through the door that Daisy was holding open and into the hallway.

“Thank you, Fitz,” Jemma replied, her tone now laced with relief.

“Don't worry,” Fitz tried to reassure her further, running down the stairs behind Piper. “Pygmy will be just fine. Probably wasn't that much chocolate, okay! It'll be okay. We’ll take her to Bobbi and it will be alright.”

* * *

 

Fitz opened the door to Jemma’s apartment, allowing her to step past him and carry Pygmy Puff inside. A gentle smile played on his lips that Jemma couldn’t help but mirror. Her gaze wandered to Pygmy, who looked back at her with tired and sad puppy eyes. Jemma pressed her dog a bit more tightly against her chest, trying to give her an encouraging smile as she pet Pygmy’s head with one hand. “Let’s find you a comfortable spot, Pygmy-wygmy,” she said quietly, walking towards the dog bed by the window.

She lay Pygmy down on the soft bed, continuing to pet her dog. She looked up, noticing that Fitz had closed the door and was kicking off his shoes.

“You know, you didn’t have to come up,” she told him, even though in her heart she was relieved that he had offered.

Fitz tucked his hands in his pockets, walking over to where Jemma and Pygmy were. He shrugged. “I wanted to.”

Jemma ticked her head to one side. “But I’m keeping you from your work.”

Fitz scoffed, lowering himself to the ground and crossing his legs, before reaching out to scratch the top of Pygmy’s head. “It’s fine. I was trying to fix my mate’s laptop and was stuck anyways. Software problem. That’s more Daisy’s area of expertise. She’ll take a look. Don’t worry about it, alright?”

The corners of Jemma’s lip ticked up briefly. “Alright,” she whispered. “Thank you, Fitz.”

A smile flashed across his face and his blue eyes shone gently. “Of course.”

They sat in silence for a while, both absentmindedly petting Pygmy Puff, who was rolled-up on her dog bed, dozing off after her trip to the vet.

“I’m sorry,” Jemma piped up, her voice low from exhaustion. “I’m afraid I’m not a great conversation partner today.”

“I wasn’t expecting a conversation. I just didn’t want you to be alone.”

Jemma grimaced, torn between wanting to smile and cry. Her eyes darted to her arm, when Fitz reached out to give her forearm a gentle squeeze.

“Why don’t you rest a little?” he suggested. “You look exhausted.”

Her lips twitched briefly, knowing full well the truth behind his statement, but she shook her head, looking back at her sleeping dog. “No, I want to stay right here with her.”

He pressed his mouth into a thin line, sighing in seeming disappointment yet bobbing his head in understanding. He gave her arm another squeeze, before letting go, his hand wandering back to pet Pygmy.

Jemma stared at the black furry creature that somehow looked even smaller than usual. She watched her hand move back and forth across the soft fur, noticed Pygmy’s calm and steady breathing. Everything seemed fine, seemed normal. Pygmy was a bit exhausted from having Doctor Morse induce vomiting and some of the meds the vet had given her made her even more sleepy, but all in all, Doctor Morse had assured Jemma that her dog would be just fine. And yet, as her mind replayed the events from earlier that day, Jemma felt anything but fine.

Her vision suddenly grew blurry and she felt her face contort and her muscles tense as her body was shaken by sobs. She covered her eyes with her free hand, the fingers of her other gently curling more tightly around her dog’s body to reassure herself that she was still there.

She felt Fitz’s hand on her back, heard his soothing “Shhhhh. It’s okay,” and yet it did nothing to stop her crying.

“I’m a horrible, horrible dog owner,” she blurted out, burying her face even deeper into her palm. “Poor Pygmy Puff deserves so much better than me.”

“Hey, what? No!” Fitz exclaimed.

Jemma felt his hand move from her back to her shoulder, squeezing it gently, while his free hand pressed against the side of her face, trying to guide it towards him.

“Jemma, look at me, please.”

Reluctantly, Jemma turned towards him, opening her eyes. She swallowed hard, trying to keep the tears at bay, but unable to stop the corners of her mouth from pulling down into a sad frown.

His lips were pulled into a reassuring smile. He tucked her hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing away the tears underneath her eyes. He cradled her face, his blue, piercing eyes gazing straight at her. “You’re an amazing dog owner,” he said softly, and his words caused another wave of tears to push to the surface.

“But—” Jemma sniffled.

Fitz’s palms pressed more firmly against her cheeks. “No, please, listen. You are incredible with Pygmy. You took two weeks off work when you got her. You know her. You know what she likes and dislikes, what she’s good at and what she struggles with. You gave her a home, and love, and toys. You’re so bloody responsible that you not only picked up after your own dog, but also somebody else’s.”

A weak chuckle escaped Jemma’s lips.

“What happened today wasn’t your fault. That could happen to anyone,” Fitz continued his reassuring speech. “And you did everything right after that. You called the vet, you went to the vet, you got her the care she needed.”

He smiled at her again, and the softness of his eyes together with his warm expression caused Jemma’s tears to slowly subside.

“Pygmy is lucky to have you.” Fitz once again tucked Jemma’s hair behind her ear. “And she knows how lucky she is. And she loves you, Jemma. She loves you so much.” One corner of his mouth ticked up even further as he shrugged. “I mean, who wouldn’t?” he added barely above a whisper.

Jemma stared at him in silence, letting his words sink in, the softness of his tone and the touch of his fingers filling her body with warmth. She held his gaze a moment longer, before throwing caution to the wind. She cupped his face, noticing how his hands let go of her cheeks in surprise, wandering to her shoulders instead, as Jemma leaned in to kiss him. Fitz’s lips were firm and tense and for a moment a sense of panic overcame Jemma, the worry that she’d reacted too impulsively after all. But then his lower lip chased after hers, kissing her more softly, and Jemma felt her stomach churn.

They broke apart, both breathing heavily, but with a ghost of a smile playing on their lips.

“Was that okay?” Jemma asked, feeling her heart beat anxiously and excitedly in her chest.

Fitz chuckled weakly, nodding slightly. “Yeah, that was definitely okay,” he replied breathlessly.

Jemma’s face lit up, her mouth pulling into a wide smile. She leaned closer again, their lips meeting in a more intimate, tender kiss, their tongues gently dancing with each other.

She sighed when their lips parted, resting her forehead against his and keeping her eyes closed for just a bit longer to savor the moment, before bringing more distance between them.

Fitz brushed a strand of her hair out of Jemma’s face, his fingers coming to rest, curled around the back of Jemma’s neck. “Are you sure you don’t want to rest a little?” he asked, his voice soft and laced with concern. “Just on the couch,” he suggested. “I’ll stay right next to Pygmy. Won’t move an inch, I promise.”

Jemma briefly looked to the side at her sofa, before meeting Fitz’s eyes again. She sighed, a weak chuckle escaping her lips. “Alright,” she agreed. “Just for a little bit.”

She looked at Pygmy Puff, reaching over to pet her, before leaning down to peck a quick kiss to the dog’s little head. Pygmy briefly lifted her head, before curling back into a tiny furball.

Jemma pushed herself to standing. She paused, smiling at Fitz who was beaming back at her. She leaned down to brush their lips together, pressing her palm gently against his cheek, noticing the pleasant tickle of his stubble against her skin. Slowly, and somewhat reluctantly, she let go of his face, taking the few steps to the couch and lying down on her side. She reached for the blanket, draped over the back of sofa and pulled it over herself, before tucking the pillow under her head. She glanced one more time at Fitz and Pygmy, noticing how Fitz had gone back to gently and steadily petting the groggy dog. Jemma smiled reflexively at the sight. She drew in a slow breath and closed her eyes, the exhaustion and excitement of the past few hours letting go of her body and mind, allowing her to drift off to sleep.

* * *

Jemma flinched and grimaced when something wet tickled her nose. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to allow them to focus until the black, blurry, and wiggly blob in front of her sharpened into her dog’s face. Pygmy Puff was panting, her tongue hanging out and her bum excitedly wagging side to side, while Fitz held her up, grinning widely.

Jemma couldn't help but smile. She pulled one hand out from under the blanket and petted Pygmy while pushing herself up to sitting with the other. Pygmy squirmed in Fitz’s arms and so he allowed her to jump into Jemma’s lap instead.

Jemma chuckled, scratching Pygmy behind her ear. “Well, someone looks like she has a lot more energy than earlier.”

Fitz placed his hands on his hips, looking down at where Jemma and Pygmy were sitting on the sofa. “Definitely. And I think she's also eager to go outside.”

Jemma hummed in understanding. “I suppose it's time for a potty break.” She furrowed her brow. “How long did I sleep?”

“‘Bout an hour. It's 8:30 now.”

Jemma's eyes widened. “Oh wow.” She pushed herself to standing, suddenly feeling a wave of shy nervousness rush through her. “Umm,” she stammered, “Would you… do you… Will you be heading home, or would you like to come on the walk with us? We could pick up food somewhere. If you'd like to stay for dinner.”

“I'll stay for as long as you want me to,” Fitz replied, quietly, smiling at her one-sidedly.

Jemma scrunched her nose, unable to stop from grinning widely. She took a step closer, gazing straight into his striking blue eyes. “Be careful what you offer,” she remarked, her voice huskier than usual.

Fitz placed his hands on Jemma’s waist, a hint of nervous hesitation slowing his movements, as he pulled her closer. Jemma tilted her head slightly to one side, leaning closer until Fitz captured her smiling lips with his. The kiss was slow and tender, sending a swarm of butterflies through Jemma’s stomach.

They both darted apart, when a third, smaller tongue tried to join them. Jemma and Fitz started laughing, while Pygmy Puff in Jemma’s arm looked a bit confused. Fitz petted the dog’s head, grinning at Jemma.

“Maybe we should take her out?” he suggested.

“We probably should,” Jemma agreed.

* * *

* * *

Jemma moaned when Fitz’s hand tentatively wandered under her jumper, grazing the skin of her waist, but seemingly not quite daring to explore higher. She wrapped her leg around his bum, pulling his crotch against hers. Her stomach churned when she felt his growing desire pressing against her. She bucked her hips, trying to build up more friction, as her fingers combed through Fitz’s curls. She deepened their kiss even more, savoring the deep groan Fitz let out. She felt more heat gather between her legs as Fitz’s hand finally seemed to glide higher beneath her jumper.

Fitz suddenly let out a quiet “Ooof,” his hand retreating, much to Jemma’s dismay. He pushed himself slightly up, trying in vain to avoid Pygmy’s wet and slobbery kisses, who had jumped onto the sofa where they'd been making out.

Fitz attempted to use one arm to keep Pygmy’s love attack in check, his face somewhere between disgust and laughter. “I love you, Pygmy, but I really don't love you like that, so could you please try not to turn this into a threesome?”

Jemma laughed, one hand intuitively reaching out to pet her dog, while her other curled around the back of Fitz’s neck, her fingers playing with his curls. “You know,” she said, waiting until Fitz’s focus shifted from Pygmy to her, “she knows she's not allowed on my bed.”

Fitz’s eyes widened. “Oh?”

“Yes, so, if we moved this to my bedroom, we'd presumably be safe from her advances.” Jemma grinned suggestively. “Plus, the condoms are in my nightstand.”

She brought her leg back up to cover his bum, pulling him closer.

Fitz’s breath hitched, and he seemed to freeze for a moment, not even distracted by Pygmy Puff once again darting her little tongue out to lick his face.

“You sure?” he stammered breathlessly.

Jemma smiled widely. “You said you'd stay as long as I want you to. How does overnight sound? At least.”

Fitz’s expression softened, a gentle smile tugging on his lips. He nodded, leaning down to mumble his reply in between kisses. “That sounds great.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience. Took a lot longer than expected to finish this fic, but here it is. I hope you enjoyed the final installment :)

**Author's Note:**

>  _Shelter from the Storm_ was the name of an animal shelter where we lived in the States. I always loved the name.


End file.
